Sales of comics and graphic novels in comic stores were up 18.16% for the first half of 2012 compared to the first half of 2011, according to numbers released by Diamond Comic Distributors today. June helped that total, but actually pulled the average down a little, with total comics and graphic novel sales in June 2012 up 10.74% compared to June 2011. As we pointed out last month (see "Comic Sales Soar in May", the 43.76% increase in sales in May 2012 over May 2011 was partially fueled by a difference in the number of sales weeks in the month; June evened things out a bit.

DC and Marvel were neck and neck in market share in June, with Marvel narrowly edging DC 33.77% to 33.03%. Image Comics, now always tough to beat behind The Walking Dead sales, came in 3rd with 7.36%; IDW Publishing 4th at 6.22%, Dark Horse Comics 5th at 4.51%, Dynamite Entertainment 6th at 2.82%, and BOOM! Studios 7th at 1.25%.

Marvel bracketed the top 10 comic sales charts with two issues of Avengers vs. X-Men at #1 and #2 and Spider-Man #1 and AVX VS #3 at #10. DC took the rest of the top ten. Batman and Justice League were #3 and #4, respectively, with four Before Watchmen books taking #5 through #8 (in order, Minutemen, Comedian, Silk Spectre, and Nite Owl).

The top graphic novels in comic stores in June came from a more diverse set of publishers, with The Walking Dead Vol. 16 taking #1; the new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen from Top Shelf taking #2, the venerable Watchmen taking #3 behind a DC incentive program tied to Before Watchmen, Dynamite’s The Boys Vol. 11 taking #4, and DC’s Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 1 HC, a "New 52" collection, taking #5.

Looked at as a whole, the top comics and graphic novel charts for June are an extraordinary statement on the creativity of Alan Moore. The spin-offs from his seminal creation took four of the top ten comic slots, and two of his graphic novels, one over 20 years old and one brand new, took the #2 and #3 spots on the graphic novel charts.

One other top product chart released today worth mentioning: HeroClix is on a total tear in comic stores, with HeroClix products taking the top six game slots in comic stores in June, led by DC HeroClix: The Dark Knight Rises Boosters.

At the GAMA Trade Show, ICv2 spoke with SJG COO Philip Reed and Munchkin Line Editor Andrew Hackard about plans for licensed games, the amazing sales growth of the brand, and the sales patterns they’re seeing.